Until
by mr. ukki
Summary: Sakura asks Kakashi to dance with her during her and Sasuke's wedding reception.


A/N: it is my first fan fiction so please do comment on this. I wish to know your opinions on my first try. Any criticism is welcome, be it constructive or destructive. If you can, also give tips on how I can improve. Thanks!

**Disclaimer:**

**I do not own Naruto**

**I do not own the song, it's Sting's**

**I got the first part of Sasuke's speech from Encarta**

_Lyrics_

'thoughts'

Listen to the song to. It's nice but sad. Well, that's how I interpret it anyway.

**START**

Until

The training ground was filled with many people. Those people wore formal clothes. Men wore tuxedos. Women wore elegant gowns. They were seated on different round, white-clothed tables each having the same groups the ninja formed in their free time.

Tsunade's group filled one of the tables. Seated here was, of course, Tsunade, wearing a sparkly gold gown that matched her hair well. Beside her was Jiraiya, looking around at the kunoichis. He was so happy there were many gathered there looking their best. The toad hermit wore his tuxedo with the top buttons unclosed.

"You should close that up, Jiraiya! This is a formal celebration. Act and look decent even just once in your perverted life, will ya!" said Tsunade.

Jiraiya looked at Tsunade's v-neck gown and said while grinning, "If you're allowed to show your chest like that why am…" before he could even finish Tsunade punched him hard on the face and he was sent flying toward the other table. It's a good thing seated on that other table were great jounins. His fast flight was stopped before he crashed hard. Shizune, together with Izumo and Kotetsu, giggled silently at Jiraiya's response and Tsunade's reaction.

"…I not…" Jiraiya mumbled as he fell to the ground. Tsunade's punch was like being hit by an airplane. His momentum was so high. When Kakashi stopped his flight it was also so painful, not as much as the punch but still painful.

"What?" asked Kurenai.

"He said anything perverted to you, Kurenai?" It was Asuma. He and Kurenai were together already.

"I don't know. I couldn't understand what he was saying."

"He said, 'I not'. Don't know what that means though," replied Genma.

"You sure? What if he's asking for help? That was Tsunade who punched him, you know," said a worried Iruka.

"Oh don't worry. I'm sure."

"But what if-"

"Believe him, Iruka-san. Perverted people understand each other."

"You understood him then, Kakashi?" snapped Genma with a wide grin.

"Hn…"

"Iruka, he's fine. He's used to that." said Kurenai.

"Oh. I'll just help him back to his seat then." said Iruka finally.

Kakashi started to read his book. He too, the great nonconformist, was wearing a tuxedo. Like Jiraiya, though, he did not close the upper buttons.

"Reading again, Kakashi!" said someone seated next to the Copy Ninja who was wearing a green tuxedo. "Put that down! Respect this occasion! This only happens to few ninjas!" Gai now stood on table. Both his hands were fisted close to his chest. "Be Happy! Celebrate! Your students are making the most of their youthful lives!" Tears began to flow down his cheeks. "Let us then show our full support!" He raised his right hand, still closed into a fist. "Support their Youthfulness! Celebrate their youthfulness!"

"Gai, you green freak, get down from there!" shouted Anko.

Everyone was staring at the green person standing on the table. Someone from another table sighed and said, "Being with Gai-sensai is so troublesome."

"At least he's funny. Hahahaha! With his eyebrows and hair!"

"Gai-sensei is not someone to laugh at, Naruto!" scolded Lee. "He is a wise man with great philosophies. You should try listening to him!"

"Heh, I'll listen to him when he replaces 'youthfulness' with the word 'ramen'." Naruto imitated Gai's pose. "Support ramen! Celebrate Ramen's existence!"

"Hahahaha! That's so funny!" laughed Kiba.

"Why not barbecue?"

"Oh Chouji, you…!" shouted Ino.

"……" (This is to show Shino was present.)

"You guys are so noisy," said Neiji. TenTen and Hinata just smiled at the source of the noise.

Naruto and Chouji continued to imitate Gai while Kiba boisterously laughed at them. "Celebrate Ramen!" "Celebrate Barbecue!" "Support Ramen" "Support Barbecue!" The noise the boys produced and the commotion Gai created made everyone else laugh. Tsunade saw Sakura beginning to get angry. She looked at Sasuke, trying to tell him through eye contact, "Calm Sakura down; I'll take care of them."

Tsunade was about to stand when she saw Sakura walking towards Naruto, her hands fisted. She looked at Sasuke. He only shrugged. He wasn't able to stop Sakura.

"NARUTO, SHUT UP!!! YOU TOO, CHOUJI! SIT DOWN!" Naruto and Chouji sat quietly, obeying Sakura's command. Sakura next approached Gai. She tried her hardest not to shout at him. He was, after all, one of the Jounins. "Gai-sensei, please don't stand on the table. You're taking all the attention." Her anger was still apparent though.

Next, she stood infront of Kakashi. Sure, he was a Jounin but that reason, unlike in Gai's case, didn't stop Sakura from shouting. "KAKASHI-SENSEI, PUT THAT BOOK DOWN!!! THIS OCCASION IS VERY IMPORTANT TO ME! SHOW SOME INTEREST AND RESPECT!"

Kakashi slowly placed the book under his seat, "There." Then he smiled at Sakura.

"Hmph!"

Sakura returned to her and Sasuke's table. "Sakura, calm down. Get used to them."

"I'm sorry. I wanted everything to be perfect but they were ruining it, Sasuke." "Everything IS perfect, Sakura." Sasuke said looking intently at Sakura.

Sakura wore an all-white wedding gown. The gown was close-necked with a not-so-see-through portion in the upper part of the chest. Opaque cloth covered the rest of her body. A v-neck outlining her bosom followed the see-through part. On her shoulders were cute bulbous sleeves, slightly ruffled at the bottom, which reached the part just below her shoulder. She wore white satin gloves on both hands. Her gown was long. The ends freely reached the grass on the ground.

"Thanks." Sakura then turned to the rest. She realized that all were quiet after witnessing her loss of temper. She tried her best to make everyone feel comfortable again. "I'm so sorry about that. It's just…this occasion is…I've been very excited for the past few days. Right now, we're celebrating my marriage to Sasuke. I worked hard preparing for this day. I myself planned the arrangement of activities. I planned on how everything is going to be arranged. I wanted everything to be perfect for Sasuke. Please, I wish everyone will act accordingly."

This was the reception of their wedding. Sakura chose this place because important parts of her relationship with sasuke happened there. The training grounds was where they first started their courtship and where sakura answered 'yes' to two of sasuke's most important questions: 'will you be my girlfriend?' and 'will you marry me?'

Everyone was quiet after Sakura's little speech. Sakura felt uncomfortable and started regretting her actions towards Naruto and the rest. She was surprised when she saw Sasuke stand and try to lighten things up. "I'd like to give a little speech for Sakura."

That did it. Everyone got excited. This was Sasuke trying to give a speech. That meant he was going to talk for a long time. It was surprising especially to those who were used to Sasuke being a man of few words.

"Oh the romantic days of the youth!" Sakura stared at Gai. That made Gai clam up. When everyone was quiet again, Sasuke began.

"ahem I chose my wife as she did her wedding gown, not for a fine glossy surface but…"

That was all Kakashi was able to hear. He was once again lost in thought. He was always like that. In fact, when he brought out Icha Icha, he did not read it. He just didn't want to be caught staring blankly. No, he can't let that happen because that would open up the subject of his thoughts. Anko and Genma were hard to stop once they had their minds on something.

Now he was looking at Sasuke, pretending to listen to him. For Sakura's sake. He did not want to anger her anymore. This, her marriage to Sasuke, was important to her.

He had to act interested.

He had to act happy for his student.

He had to act as if he did not want to leave right away.

He had to act as if he was not depressed because the woman he loved was married to another man.

He had to act as if he didn't feel so miserable.

'Just a few more minutes, Kakashi.' He was suffering inside. He looked around him. Everyone was listening intently to Sasuke. Everyone was happy for the newly weds. He, however, was only half-heartedly happy. Yeah he was happy too for he could already see Sakura so happy. He inwardly cursed at Sasuke. 'Why'd you have to come back?' He now cursed himself for thinking that. He knew he had no right to have Sakura. Sakura loved Sasuke too much. She wouldn't accept him. 'I'll just content myself on just being happy as long as you're happy...Sakura.'

"…wife picked well. I did too." The end of Sasuke's speech took Kakashi out of his private thoughts. Kakashi heard everyone clap hard. "Tsk…"

Ino, who helped Sakura prepare for her wedding, stood and announced, "Next activity is dancing!" Everyone cheered. The music started playing.

"I'm going to dance with the most important people in my life," Sakura thought. She first danced with her husband, of course. Sasuke was indeed important. If he wasn't, she wouldn't wait patiently for him to come back and notice her.

Kakashi didn't move from his seat. His admirers knew he wouldn't so they approached him. They asked him to dance. He declined giving each woman a different excuse: "My toe nail died so it hurts whenever I move", "My pants have a hole on them so it would be embarrassing to stand", etc. So he was left alone sitting.

Kakashi did not want to but he couldn't stop himself from looking at Sakura and Sasuke dancing. He now accepted what he considered a fact that he was meant to be alone. That the farthest he could go when it comes to love was staring if he didn't daydream. He noticed Sakura's eyes. They were filled with happiness and contentment. He thought that he would only be at the receiving end of those eyes in his dreams. The way Sakura held Sasuke, he'd only experience that in his mind.

After Sakura's dance with Sasuke, Naruto approached her. "Will you dance with me, Sakura-chan?"

"What about Hinata?"

"Hehe… She was first. She's the priority, of course. You're the second!"

Sakura smiled. "And you're second priority too, Naruto."

Kakashi's gloomy mood lightened up suddenly when Sakura let go of Sasuke and danced with Naruto. "Naruto, damn bastard, you really are the best." He giggled slightly noticing that Naruto wasn't that much of a good dancer. Sakura suddenly let go of Naruto.

"Naruto, watch it! I don't have the Sharingan so I can't predict where you damn foot is heading, baka!"

Naruto scratched the back of his head. "Ehehe. Gomen, Sakura-chan! I'll be careful! PRO-MISE!"

They danced again with Naruto still stepping on Sakura's foot but the number of times lessened. When the song ended, "You're lucky Hinata has a lot of patience," said Sakura. Naruto smiled in return.

Kakashi's gaze followed Naruto as he ran toward their table. His vision was blocked though by Sakura. He was shocked in the inside but he didn't show it. "Hn?"

"Kaka-sensei!"

"I told you to stop calling me that."

"Yeah I remember."

"What do you want?"

"Why are you sitting here?"

"Ah. That question again."

"What?"

"I've been asked the same question many times now."

"Oh really? What did you answer then?"

"I kept forgetting so I kept making new ones," he answered while forcing a smile.

"Heh."

"You haven't answered my question yet?"

"What?"

"Getting old now, aren't we?"

"Argh! You're the old one Kakashi! Get your ass up, will ya?"

"Why?"

"Dance with me, please?"

"…" He was shocked. Sure he wanted to be with her but right now that Sakura was asking him to dance, he didn't know what to answer. He felt a sharp pain in his chest just looking at her. If he said yes, he'd be suffering that pain as it got stronger and stronger. If he said no, Sakura wouldn't like it.

"Why me?"

"Just say yes, Kakashi."

"I thought that 'dance with me' thing was a request, not a command."

"Oh so you don't want to?"

"…"

Sakura pulled him toward the dance floor.

"Ah! Sakura!"

"You can't say no."

"Why can't I?" He said lightly pulling himself from Sakura's grip on his right hand.

They reached the dance floor. Other people dancing surrounded them. The next song started playing.

Song: Until by Sting

The sound of a triangle was first heard followed by a stringed instrument.

Sakura held Kakashi's hands. Her left gloved hand held his right. She placed his left hand on her lower back. After that, she placed her left hand on his broad right shoulder. They didn't start dancing yet. Sakura looked at Kakashi.

"Because you're person number three."

"Hn?"

"You're my third most important person."

"…" He couldn't reply. He just looked at her while feeling even more miserable because of what she said. 'Third. Just third eh?'

"Let's start!" And so they started dancing. Kakashi just looked at her. 'This is going to be painful.'

_If I caught the world in a bottle and everything was still beneath the moon. Without your love would it shine for me?_

"Neh, Kakashi. What's wrong?"

"N-n-nothing."

Sure Kakashi was a famous ninja. Go to other countries and mention his name, Copy Nin would pop up into their heads. He had killed many skilled and dangerous enemies. He had protected Konoha for many years and was trusted deeply by the Hokage. 'That isn't enough, is it?'

"Really? You seem sad."

"No, I'm not."

_If I was smart as Aristotle and understood the rings around the moon. What would it all matter if you loved me?_

He was a genius. A genin even before he reached the age of ten. Jounin, even a member of ANBU, during his teen years. 'Why is it not enough?'

_Here in your arms where the world is impossibly still_

"I'm happy, Sakura." He smiled and Sakura smiled back at him.

_With a million dreams to fulfill_

Kakashi was pleased when Sakura smiled at him. 'I wish she could smile at me like that forever.'

_And a matter of moments until the dancing ends_

'I'm dreaming again.' He felt the pang of pain hit him harder.

_Here in your arms when everything seems to be clear_

_Not a solitary thing would I fear_

_Except when this moment comes near, the dancing's end_

"Kakashi, something's definitely wrong."

"Why do you say that?"

"Because your eyes…they look...they look different."

"…"

_If I caught the world in an hour glass _

_Saddled up the moon so we could ride_

"I'm just concentrating on dancing. Wouldn't want to be like Naruto."

Sakura smiled at his humor. 'I want to see you smile once more.'

_Until the stars grew dim_

_Until…_

"Hehe. That baka."

_One day you'll meet a stranger and all the noise was silenced in the room_

_You'll feel like you're close to some mystery_

"Kakashi, when will you get married?"

"Wha-?"

"You know, Naruto found Hinata. I found Sasuke."

"…" 'I can't have you, Sakura.'

_In the moonlight when everything shatters_

_You'll feel as if you've known her all your life._

'I have known you for so long I'll know your answer when I ask.'

_The world's oldest lesson in history_

"I don't want to get married."

_Here in your arms, where the world is impossibly still_

"Huh? Don't you ever want to be with someone you love, forever?"

'I want to. I just can't, Sakura.'

_With a million dreams to fulfill_

'I can only be with you now, in this dance.'

_And a matter of moments until the dancing ends_

"You're not answering."

"Oh. It won't be good for my occupation."

_Here in your arms, when everything seems to be clear_

_Not a solitary thing would I fear_

"Won't you feel lonely?"

'I will after this.'

"I hope not. I'm used to it."

_Except when this moment comes near, the dancing's end_

"That would hurt. Trust me. I know from experience."

"We'll see."

'It hurts like hell, Sakura.'

_If I caught the world in an hourglass, saddled up the moon so we could ride_

"If you say so. Hmm… the song's almost finished."

"Hn?"

Kakashi suddenly felt worse. 'No. Don't end yet. Just a few more minutes.'

_Until_

'I want'

_The_

'to be'

_Stars_

'with you'

_Grew_

'longer'

_Dim_

'I want'

_Until_

'to tell you'

_The_

'how'

_Time_

'I feel'

_That time_

"Kakashi? What's wrong?"

"…" Kakashi kept his sad gaze on her.

_Time stands still_

"Please tell me so I can help. I'm your friend, remember?"

That hit him hard.

_Until…_

'A friend. I really can't say anything. I shouldn't.'

"I'm alright." He started letting go.

"But-"

Kakashi gathered all his strength. He smiled at Sakura.

"I'm fine. Don't worry about me. Enjoy the rest of the day, Sakura-chan."

Sakura again smiled back. "Okay."

'That smile again.'

"See ya then." Both of them turned and walked away from each other.

Sakura headed for Sasuke. They started eating while the others continued to dance.

Kakashi however had no more second thoughts about going home immediately. 'I need to get away from here.' He sadly looked back once more towards Sakura. He saw her smiling. She was happily eating with Sasuke. He stared at them for a moment, then bowed his head, trying to endure what he felt in his chest, trying to keep his eyes dry. 'I love you, Sakura.'

He walked away silently. Made sure that Sakura wouln't see him leave. He bowed his head as he passed by the others.

"Jiraiya, stay away from me!"

Jiraiya was sent flying again.

"He never learns, does he," whispered Anko.

"Oh the spirit of youth! Even if you're old, you'll still have it in you."

"Hey! Who took my barbecue?"

"Naruto, please don't take someone else's food."

"But Hinata, he took all the barbecues. I just wanted some."

"OH! My Ramen!"

"That's revenge for my barbecue!"

"Oh you! You're the fattest PIG I've ever seen and I'll ever see in my entire LIFE!!!"

"WHAT DID YOU CALL ME?"

"I said you're a PI"

"AAAAAAAAHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!!"

sigh "Being with you guys is so troublesome."

Naruto and Chouji fought. Gai was again standing on the table. Some guests ran towards Jiraiya to help him. All the attention was on them. No one noticed Kakashi leave the the training ground.

**END**

Hope you liked my first fan fiction. If you did not, I wouldn't mind you telling me. PRO-MISE!


End file.
